Summer is here and what better way to celebrate than having amazing outdoor adventures. Exploring Alaska with Tia will showcase all the ways I have fun during summertime in Alaska! A couple of weeks ago I went to Eagle Lake in South Fork Eagle River with some wonderful friends and dogs. The hike was 11 miles roundtrip and we did some exploring towards Symphony Lake on the boulder field. It took us 6 hours, including our break at Eagle Lake for about an hour.
Our adventure began at the South Fork Trail Head around 5 in the evening. We were all excited to see the glacial lakes that lay in the middle of our journey. I had done the hike a few times before (Kat had as well) and I even backpacked out last year and spent the night. My friends Morgan and Megan had never done it but were pumped to see all that they had heard about.
The First Bridge
About 2.5 miles from the trailhead we came to a bridge crossing over Eagle River. If you’re looking for a shorter hike that still has beautiful views, a great option is to go to the bridge and back to the trailhead. From there we chatted our way to Eagle Lake and were happy to find it was fairly unfrozen. The trail had a few muddy spots but was altogether nice and moderate.
Fishing at Eagle Lake
Once we arrived at the bridge to Eagle Lake we crossed over onto the boulder field and took a break to fish for Arctic Char. I love fly fishing, so hiking 5 miles to get to fish is the best reward ever. Morgan and Megan both tried fly fishing and they both had some bites. After a couple of minutes, Morgan got her first fish on a fly rod. We were both ecstatic!
Boulder Field Fun
Post fishing we decided to make our way over the boulder field to Symphony Lake. I was somewhat concerned as to how the dogs would do on the boulders, but they did pretty well, I think we were more tired than them! We jumped from boulder to boulder until we caught a glimpse of Symphony. We turned back towards Eagle Lake because food and sleep were on our minds.
Swimming in Glacial Water… Brrrr!
As we journeyed back we took one more stop at a pool below Eagle Lake for Megan and Kat to jump in. They ran in the water, but admitted it was freezing! Morgan and I decided we would cheer them on as opposed to joining them, maybe next time… It made for some cool pictures though.
The sun was beginning to set as we hiked back to the trailhead. We were definitely ready for some food after our 11-mile adventure. My friends and I were so grateful to have experienced the beauty of South Fork Eagle River. I suggest this hike to anyone wanting a good workout with spectacular views.
Thanks for reading and check out Exploring Alaska with Tia next week and the rest of this summer for more awesome adventures!
